Burner control valve responsive to change in the position of the burner



March 8, 1955 J. STEPANIAN BURNER CONTROL VALVE RESPONSIVE TO CHANGE IN THE POSITION OF THE BURNER 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1949 'IIIIIIIII muss" INVENTOR.

+- B/ Ha 0 4 4 7, x fl/ j l ll 5 a 3 J v 3 W Z A I. Y m U i 6 w H W! IA; u I l|. l L|/.. n 5 KIM E z a \m W d 6 1 W fi R g ATTORNEY March 8, 1955 STEPAMAN 2,703,582

BURNER CONTROL VALVE RESPONSIVE TO CHANGE IN THE POSITION OF THE BURNER Flled Dec. 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jam Jrsmwmfi ,IIIII'II'IIIIIIIIII'II u I l I I I a I I r I I I I a I ATTORNEY United States Patent BURNER CONTROL VALVE RESPONSIVE. TO

CHANGE IN THE POSITION 0F John Stepanian, West New York, N. J.

Application December 16, 1949', Serial No. 133,425

Claims. (Cl. 137-38) This invention relates to safety and control valves for controlling the rate of flow of gaseous media, particularly for gasburners, such asv gas burners of the Bunsen type.

Bunsen burners and similar burners are frequently and in large numbers used by laboratories and various industries. It is in the nature of the use of such burners that they are not continuously used and that the operator has to attend to other work also. During the interruption in the use of the burners the same continue to consume gas and it is also dangerous to leave the burning burners unattended. However, as it is rather inconvenient to turn off and re-ignite the burners each time the operator interrupts use of a burner they are usually kept burning for most, of the working period or at least until use is discontinued for a longer period of time.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the invention to provide a novel and improved safety and control valve of the general type, above referred to, by means of which the burner flame can be reduced to a pilot light and restored to. full strength in a convenient and safe manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved safety and control valve for gas burners which, by a simple manipulation, can be so adjusted that the burner is automatically set either for burning at full strength or as a pilot light.

Another more specific object of the invention, allied with the preceding one, is to provide a safety and control valve which can be adjusted by simply tilting the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved safety and control valve so arranged that the valve member controlling the opening and closing of the valve cannot come to rest in an intermediate or inoperative position upon manipulation of the valve.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a safety and control valve equipped with means for maintaining a steady minimum flow of gas just suflicient to maintain a pilot light even though the normal passageway for feeding the pilot light is clogged or otherwise blocked.

Generally speaking, the basic idea of this invention resides in the provision of means by which a flow controlling closure member within a closed receptacle is selectively movable from the outside of the receptacle from a position of full flow of the gaseous medium into a position of reduced flow and vice versa.

' Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing several now preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

1 In the drawing:

Fig. l is an elevational side View of a safety and control valve according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modification according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevational side view of another modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of another modification of a safety and control valve according to the invention.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional side view of still another modification according to the invention, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional side view of still another modification, according to the invention.

Referring first to. the Figs.v 1, to 4 in detail, the illustrated embodiments of a safety and control valve according to the invention, as shown in Figs. l to 4 inclpsiye, comprises a sealed container or receptacle 10 rnade of sheet metal or any other suitable material. The receptacle is provided with a gas inlet nipple 1 1 and a gas outletnipple- 12. A tube, 13 of rubber'or other suitable flexible material is slipped on nipple 11 Tube 12 1; may be visualized as comm n n -With a s supp y su h, as. an outlet for citygas. Sim arly a flexible tube 14 is slipped on nipple 12 and, y sual ed. as. qqthntunisa ihg with a'conventional burner of the Bunsen type, as is shown in Fig. 5'. The Bunsen burner according to this figure comprises .a base 15, aburner pipe 16, a sleeve, 17 having justment sl t for di r g h openin of corresponding air inlet slots in pipe 16, and a gas inlet nipple 1-9.

c pt p e h. a foot 29. and a base plat 1 so at it ay p ce upo a suitab uppor in the position shown in Fig. l. Nipple 1 2 eommhnicates with the interior ofreccptacle 10 through one of the si e wal e e but it may a so mm nicate with h receptacle through any of the other walls thereof. Inlet pp 11 t m n a wit the eceptacle h igh the bottom wall thereof and is for this purpose provided with a threaded extension 22 threaded into 3, correspondg p ni g 2 in e tom wal A. compatati eb' hi k Pla 24 is fit e h ecep ac t st ng on. t e botm l r T s plate has a Qpehih 5' thereh g positioned in l g ment it open s Eatension 2. 6f the n pp is threaded into Pla e penin 25 so as o extend not q i o he nner e e hcrea a can best be seen on Fig. 3. The inner edge of opening 25 is p b y u un a 26 o orm a alve. sea the P rpose of' hi l be more fully explained he ein.- aite'r- As Will now be vident, a ube 1. l ii llll lli" sales directly with h i t r o Qt the sea ed reasp asle through n pp e h s is. f r he pr i ed i 'pate 24 a p s n 7 ho a a c rc r deniihs depression s pa o h as in e openin in p ate 24 and positioned as can best be seen on Figs. 2 and 3. 7

hi pla ho n i h i lu trated em od men a a p a m n es i he cas n bat en; hp.- la e p e h m. it il be e d nt th t th P at an also be i l. t the re epta le by ei forcin he bottom wall ihereof- Whethe separa or a integral bottom Plate r a f lse bot om is n etetahle, is m tter of practical manufacture.

For'ihe purp f on rol in the admis ion of as i ep cl 10 nd, hen e testes o he as b r through ou nipple a closure o contio member sp v T is c o u e. membe i shown a a l 0 made of eta or ot er su'table mate a It will be evident that the flow of gas nto the ceptacle an h t the gas ur er i 1 0. when ba li ll i seated upon valve seat 26 while the receptacle is open for the flo of as h n al 3 is e aine by depre ion 27 as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In other WQIQS, dQPIQS: sion 27 constitutes a retaining means for the ball 30, O y. the men an tl sian the. r tain n means are not limited to the illustrated embodiment but various other suitable designs, may also be employed such as a ridge protruding from plate 2 4. It is merely essential for the invention that retaining means are provided releasably confining the closure member in a'posi tion on the bottom wall of the receptacle other than the position in which the closure member closes the gas inlet opening or outlet opening as the case may be.

The operation of the device, as hereinbefore described, is as follows:

Let it be assumed that ball 30 is in the position shown in F 2 and 3. The v a will flow unimpeded hr ugh the r c pta n h ga burne l u n ith tal flame. If it be now desired to extinguish the burner, the operator grips the receptacle and gives it a slight shake so that the ball Will roll into the position indicatedv in Figs. 2 and 3 in dotted lines. As a result, the flow of gas into the receptacle is cut off and the burner flame willbe extinguished. To prevent ball 30 from coming to rest in an inoperative position, that is, in a position in which it is not seated either on valve seat 2601 in depression 27, a certain relation between the diameter of ball 30, the area and configuration of plate 24, and the spacing of valve seat 26 and retaining means 27 should be main- ,tained. This relation should be so selected that there the device.

As previously mentioned, seating of ball 30 on valve seat 26 will out 01f the flow of gas into the receptacle. However, it is generally preferable to provide means preventing a complete stoppage of the flow of gas into the receptacle and providing for continued admission of gas into the receptacle just sufficient to maintain burning of the burner with a pilot flame. For this purpose, a passageway or by-pass for the main gas inlet opening is provided. This passageway may be formed by a horizontal bore 31 and a vertical bore 32, the first communicating with the opening of nipple 11 and the second issuing in plate 24. However, it is also possible and in certain instances preferable to provide a separate passageway connecting the gas supply line directly with the receptacle through one of the receptacle walls. The admission of gas through by-pass 31, 32 can be controlled by a set screw 33 threaded into a nipple 34 of the receptacle. The set screw is preferably covered by means of a screw cap 35 in which may be placed a suitable packing material such as paraffin to prevent any escape of gas.

As will be apparent, by reason of the provision of the by-pass the burner flame will not be entirely extinguished when ball 30 is rolled into the position shown in Fig. 4 but will be reduced to a pilot flame. This has the advantage that the operator does not have to re-ignite the burner when he resumes work but can restore the flame to full force by simply giving receptacle 10 a slight shake.

As a further safeguard against complete extinction of the burner flame and the escape of gas, for instance when the receptacle is accidentally shaken without immediate re-ignition of the flame, additional means are provided according to the invention to secure a continued minimum flow of gas even though by-pass 31, 32 may be completely blocked. Such blocking of the by-pass may occur for instance by the operator inadvertently tightening set screw 33 too much or by the condensation of moisture in the by-pass clogging the latter. One of these additional safety means may consist of a minute notch 36 in the valve seat as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. It should be understood that the showing of notch 36 in Figs. 2 and 3 is greatly exaggerated and that in practice a very minute by-pass channel will be sufficient.

Instead of providing a notch in valve seat 26, it is also possible to design the threads of set screw 33 or nipple 34 so that by-pass bore 32 cannot be completely closed. This is indicated in Fig. 4 by showing the innermost position of the said screw in dotted lines. As will be noted, part of by-pass 32 is left uncovered in the innermost position of the said screw. However, it has been found that the provision of a notch in the valve seat is preferable since the full gas pressure is available at the valve seat and will effectively blow out any moisture condensation tending to clog notch 36. In this connection it should also be mentioned that ball 30 must be so heavy that it will not be lifted by the gas pressure acting upon it through nipple 11.

The embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 5, is similar in principle to the previously described embodiments of the invention. The only essential diiference is that according to Fig. 1 the safety and control device is shown as a unit separate from the gas burner and connected with the same through a tube 14 while according to Fig. the safety and control device is directly mounted on the gas inlet nipple 19 of the burner. As is indicated in Fig. 5 by arrows, the gas is admitted through inlet nipple 11 into the receptacle and discharged therefrom through an outlet nipple 37 communicating with the gas inlet nipple 19 of the burner. For purpose of controlling the safety and control device according to the invention, the operator lifts the entire burner and gives it a slight shake for placing ball 30 in either of its operative positions.

The safety and control valve according to Figs. 6 and 7 is another embodiment of the basic principle of the invention of automatically reducing the burner flame to a pilot light and vice versa in response to a movement of the valve receptacle.

According to Figs. 6 and 7, gas is admitted into a closed receptacle 40 through a nipple 41 and discharged through a nipple 42. Outlet nipple 42 is mounted in a side wall of the receptacle and preferably protrudes into the interior thereof to form a valve seat for a closure member 44. The closure member is shown as a half sphere but may have any other suitable form. It is supported by an arm or lever 43 pivotally mounted in the receptacle. Arm 43 can be pivotally mounted by any suitable means. According to the illustrated embodiment, the arm ends in a U-shaped portion 48 through which is threaded a screw 47 which in turn is secured to a sleeve 46. A knurled nut 49 permits adjustment of the effective length of arm 43. Sleeve 46 is pivotally supported by means of two screws 53 and 54 threaded into the respective side walls of receptacle 40. Caps 55 and 56 may be provided to seal the screw openings. Instead of providing a screw adjustment for arm 43, the effective length of this arm can also be conveniently adjusted by varying slightly the position of screws 53, 54 or of a shaft rotatably supporting sleeve 46.

For the purpose of holding closure member 44 tightly against its seat, the upper end of the arm is weighted by a weight 45 which also serves to guide the pivotal movement of the arm and the closure member as can best be seen on Figure 7. As will be evident from Fig. 6, the arm with its closure member can either assume the limit position shown in full lines or the limit position shown in dotted lines. Fig. 6 further shows that the pivot axis of arm 43 is so positioned that the closing limit position of arm 43 is the favored one.

For the purpose of maintaining a pilot light when the main flow of gas through nipple 42 is closed, a passageway 50 is provided, the cross-sectional area of which can be adjusted by means of a set-screw 51. A cup 52 may be provided to receive a sealing material such as paraflin.

The operation of the safety and control valve according to Figs. 6 and 7 will be obvious from the previous description. It sufiices to say that closure member 44 can be conveniently moved from the closing position into the opening position and vice versa by slightly rocking receptacle 4%. If the closure member is moved into its closing position, the burner flame will be automatically reduced to a pilot light.

The embodiment according to Fig. 8 is similar to the embodiment according to Figs. 6 and 7 in that a weighted lever means serves to open and close the outlet nipple 42. The lever means, generally designated by 84, comprises a bell crank having arms 86 and 87. Arm 86 supports, by means of a swivel element 91, a truncated closure member 96 capable of being seated upon an extension 92 of outlet nipple 42. Arm 87 supports a counterweight 89, a second weight 88 being secured to arm 86. The weights are preferably so balanced that the combined weight of closure member and weight 88 is greater than weight 89. The bell crank is pivoted by means of a pivot pin 85 to a post 33 secured to the bottom wall of a closed receptacle 80 which may be supported on legs 31. Nipple extension 92 includes a passage opening for maintaining the minimum gas flow required for the pilot flame. The passageway can be adjusted by means of a set screw 94. A cup 93 again serves to receive a sealing material. The operation of the valve according to Fig. 8 will be obvious. The bell crank can be tilted either into the full line position in nhich the main gas flow is cut off or into the dotted position permitting the burner to burn with full flame. When closure member 93 is in its closing position, the burner flame will be automatically reduced to a pilot light.

The embodiment according to Fig. 9 is also similar in principle to the previously described embodiments but distinguished in design in that a cone shaped closure member 66 is axially displaced. For this purpose, closure member 66 is supported by a platform or carriage 63 movable by means of rollers 64-, 65 on the bottom wall of a closed receptacle 60 which may be supported on legs 61 and 62. Closure member 66 cooperates with an extension 67 of outlet nipple 42 forming a seat for the closure member. A passage opening 72 serves to maintain the gas flow for the pilot light. The passage opening can be adjusted by means of a set screw 68. Leg 62 may be hollow to receive a sealing material.

For the purpose of axial y moving carriage 63, the top wall of this carriage has rack teeth 73 in mesh with a gear sector 69 pivoted about a pivot pin 70 secured to receptacle 60. Gear sector '70 is extended by an arm 74 supporting a weight 71.

As will be apparent, rocking of receptacle 60 will rock the weight and the gear sector, thereby rolling the carriage on its rollers 64 and 65. Due to the action of the weight, the carriage will always be moved either into the illustrated limit position in which the closure member 66 is seated upon its valve seat or into the other limit position in which the carriage abuts against the opposite wall of receptacle 60.

The embodiments according to Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive may be provided With a passage such as notch 36 in the valve seat to maintain a minimum flow of gas in the event the respective by-pass opening is clogged.

In the previous description it has been stated that the valve is actuated by rocking or shaking the receptacle. While this may be the most simple and practical manner of actuating the valve, it is of course also possible to support the receptacle in the manner of a see-saw for the purpose of tilting the receptacle about the pivot axle of the see-saw. It will further be obvious from the previous description and the illustrated exemplifications of the invention that a valve according to the invention can also be used to control the rate of flow of gaseous media other than illuminating gas, such as air or oxygen. I

The use of the valve for such other media will not require any significant structural changes. The valve, when placed in closed position, will automatically re strict the flow of the medium to a rate of flow substantially corresponding to the rate of flow of illuminating I gas as is required for maintaining a pilot flame. It is also possible and for many applications advantageous, to employ several control valves, one for instance, con trolling the flow of illuminating gas and the other the flow of air.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodi ments of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety and control valve for controlling the flow of illuminating gas to a gas burning device, the said valve comprising a sealed receptacle having a plane bottom wall, support means for supporting said receptacle on a stationary base movably relative to said base, said bottom wall being formed with a first countersunk shallow recess, a first conduit for said gas communicating with the interior of said receptacle through said recess and a second conduit for said gas communicating with the interior of said receptacle through a wall portion of the receptacle spaced apart from the first conduit, said first conduit constituting the inlet for the gas and the other the outlet, said bottom wall being further formed with a second countersunk shallow recess spaced apart from the first recess, a sphere-shaped closure member disposed freely rolling within said receptacle on the plane bottom thereof for movement into a position occupying said first recess or a position occupying said second recess upon movement of the receptacle relative to said base, the said recesses fitting a small portion of the closure member to form fixed positions of rest for the closure member, the said closure member in its position of rest in the first recess closing the inlet conduit and in its position or rest in the second recess opening the inlet conduit for an unimpeded fiow of gas through the receptacle, and a third conduit communicating with the interior of the receptacle and having a cross-sectional fiow area less than that of the inlet conduit, said third conduit forming a by-pass for said inlet conduit to provide a passageway for a minimum flow of the gas through the receptacle when said closure member occupies its position of rest in the first recess.

2. A safety and control valve for controlling the flow of illuminating gas to a gas burning device, the said valve comprising a sealed receptacle having a fiat bottom wall, support means for supporting said receptacle movably relative to a stationary base, said bottom wall being formed with a first recess, a first conduit for said gas communicating with the interior of said receptacle through said recess and a second conduit for said gas communicating with the interior of said receptacle through a Wall portion of the receptacle spaced apart from the first conduit, one of said conduits constituting the inlet for the gas and the other the outlet, said bottom wall being further formed with a second recess spaced apart from the first recess, a sphere-shaped closure member disposed freely movable within said receptacle for movement into a position occupying said first recess or a position occupying said second recess upon movement of the receptacle relative to said base, the said recesses forming positions of rest for the closure member, the said closure member in its position of rest in the first recess closing the first conduit and in its position of rest in the second recess opening the first conduit for an unimpeded flow of gas through the receptacle, the size of said closure member relative to the area of the fiat bottom Wall within the receptacle and the configuration and disposition of the side walls and the recesses in said bottom wall being such as to bias the closure member into a position of rest in either of said recesses, and a third conduit communicating with the interior of the receptacle and having a cross-sectional fiow area less than that of the first conduit, said third conduit forming a by-pass for said first conduit to provide a passageway for a minimum fiow of the gas through the receptacle when said closure member occupies its position of rest in said first recess.

3. A safety and control valve as described in claim 2, in combination with adjustment means in the passageway for varying the effective cross-section of said passage way thereby regulating the fiow of gas therethrough.

4. A safety and control valve as described in claim 2, wherein the engageable surfaces of the closure member and the bottom Wall portion defining said first recess are shaped and arranged to maintain a minimum flow of gas into the receptacle when the said recess is substantially closed by the closure member and said passageway is clogged.

5. A safety and control valve as described in claim 2, wherein the inner rim of said first recess through the bottom wall of the receptacle is countersunk to form a valve seat for the closure member, said countersunk rim including a notch forming a second passageway for maintaining a minimum flow of gas into the receptacle when said first recess is closed by the closure member and said first passageway is clogged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 763,876 Geiger June 28, 1904 788,118 Perotti Apr. 25, 1905 825,694 Barbaroux July 10, 1906 873,644 Wickblom Dec. 10, 1907 944,416 Connet et al. Dec. 28, 1909 1,463,103 Thorsten July 24, 1923 1,552,860 Major Sept. 8, 1925 1,695,848 Higgins Dec. 18, 1928 1,788,358 Geerg Jan. 6, 1931 1,923,384 Miller Aug. 22, 1933 2,215,044 Kammerdiner Sept. 17, 1940 2,516,523 Mildebrath July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,871 Great Britain Nov. 2, 1933 115,905 Switzerland July 16, 1926 

